Background: British explorer Samuel BAKER established the colony of Equatoria in 1870, in the name of the Ottoman Khedive of Egypt who claimed the territory. Headquartered in Gondokoro (near modern day Juba), Equatoria in theory composed most of what is now South Sudan. After being cut off from colonial administration during the Mahdist War from 1885-1898, Equatoria was made a state under the Anglo-Egyptian condominium in 1899. It was largely left to itself over the following decades, but Christian missionaries converted much of the population and facilitated the spread of English, rather than Arabic. Equatoria was ruled by British colonial administrators separately from what is now Sudan until the two colonies were combined at the 1947 Juba Conference, as part of British plans to prepare the region for independence. When Sudan gained its independence in 1956, it was with the understanding that the southerners would be able to participate fully in the political system. When the Arab Khartoum government reneged on its promises, a mutiny began that led to two prolonged periods of conflict (1955-1972 and 1983-2005) in which perhaps 2.5 million people died - mostly civilians - due to starvation and drought. Ongoing peace talks finally resulted in a Comprehensive Peace Agreement, signed in January 2005. As part of this agreement, the south was granted a six-year period of autonomy to be followed by a referendum on final status. The result of this referendum, held in January 2011, was a vote of 98% in favor of secession.Since independence on 9 July 2011, South Sudan has struggled with good governance and nation building and has attempted to control opposition forces operating in its territory. Economic conditions have deteriorated since January 2012 when the government decided to shut down oil production following bilateral disagreements with Sudan. In December 2013, conflict between government and opposition forces killed tens of thousands and led to a dire humanitarian crisis with millions of South Sudanese displaced and food insecure. The warring parties signed a peace agreement in August 2015 that created a transitional government of national unity in April 2016. However, in July 2016, fighting broke out in Juba between the two principal signatories, plunging the country back into conflict. A 'revitalized' peace agreement was signed in September 2018 ending the fighting. Under the agreement, the government and various rebel groups agreed that the sides would form a unified national army and create a transitional government by May 2019. The agreement was extended until November 2019 and then subsequently to February 2020. However, implementation has been stalled, in part by a failure to agree on the country's internal political boundaries.

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 30 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 644,329 km²
Rank: 43
Comparative: more than four times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 6,018 km
Border countries: (6) Central African Republic 1055 km; , Democratic Republic of the Congo 714 km; , Ethiopia 1299 km; , Kenya 317 km; , Sudan 2,158 km; , Uganda 475 km
Note: South Sudan-Sudan boundary represents 1 January 1956 alignment; final alignment pending negotiations and demarcation; final sovereignty status of Abyei Area pending negotiations between South Sudan and Sudan

Coastline: 0 km
Note: (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: hot with seasonal rainfall influenced by the annual shift of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone; rainfall heaviest in upland areas of the south and diminishes to the north

Terrain: plains in the north and center rise to southern highlands along the border with Uganda and Kenya; the White Nile, flowing north out of the uplands of Central Africa, is the major geographic feature of the country; The Sudd (a name derived from floating vegetation that hinders navigation) is a large swampy area of more than 100,000 km² fed by the waters of the White Nile that dominates the center of the country

Elevation
Lowest point: White Nile 381 m
Highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Natural resources: hydropower, fertile agricultural land, gold, diamonds, petroleum, hardwoods, limestone, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver

Land use
Agricultural land: 100%
Forest: 0%
Other: 0%

Irrigated land: 1000 km² (2012)

Geography
Note: landlocked; The Sudd is a vast swamp in the north central region of South Sudan, formed by the White Nile, its size is variable but can reach some 15% of the country's total area during the rainy season; it is one of the world's largest wetlands

Population
Distribution rank: population distribution map: 10,561,244 (July 2020 est.)
Rank: 87
Growth rate: 2.7% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 16
Below poverty line: 66% (2015 est.)

Nationality
Noun: South Sudanese (singular and plural)
Adjective: South Sudanese

Ethnic groups: Dinka (Jieng) 35.8%, Nuer (Naath) 15.6%, Shilluk (Chollo), Azande, Bari, Kakwa, Kuku, Murle, Mandari, Didinga, Ndogo, Bviri, Lndi, Anuak, Bongo, Lango, Dungotona, Acholi, Baka, Fertit (2011 est.)

Languages: English (official), Arabic (includes Juba and Sudanese variants), regional languages include Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande, Shilluk

Religions: animist, Christian, Muslim

Demographic profile: South Sudan, independent from Sudan since July 2011 after decades of civil war, is one of the world’s poorest countries and ranks among the lowest in many socioeconomic categories. Problems are exacerbated by ongoing tensions with Sudan over oil revenues and land borders, fighting between government forces and rebel groups, and inter-communal violence. Most of the population lives off of farming, while smaller numbers rely on animal husbandry; more than 80% of the populace lives in rural areas. The maternal mortality rate is among the world’s highest for a variety of reasons, including a shortage of health care workers, facilities, and supplies; poor roads and a lack of transport; and cultural beliefs that prevent women from seeking obstetric care. Most women marry and start having children early, giving birth at home with the assistance of traditional birth attendants, who are unable to handle complications.Educational attainment is extremely poor due to the lack of schools, qualified teachers, and materials. Less than a third of the population is literate (the rate is even lower among women), and half live below the poverty line. Teachers and students are also struggling with the switch from Arabic to English as the language of instruction. Many adults missed out on schooling because of warfare and displacement.Almost 2 million South Sudanese have sought refuge in neighboring countries since the current conflict began in December 2013. Another 1.96 million South Sudanese are internally displaced as of August 2017. Despite South Sudan’s instability and lack of infrastructure and social services, more than 240,000 people have fled to South Sudan to escape fighting in Sudan.

Age structure
0-14 years: 41.58% (male 2,238,534/female 2,152,685)
15-24 years: 21.28% (male 1,153,108/female 1,094,568)
25-54 years: 30.67% (male 1,662,409/female 1,577,062)
55-64 years: 3.93% (male 228,875/female 186,571)
65 years and over: 2.53% (male 153,502/female 113,930) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 80.8
Youth dependency ratio: 74.7
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.1
Potential support ratio: 16.5 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 18.6 years
Male: 18.9 years
Female: 18.3 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 208

Population growth rate: 2.7% (2020 est.)
Rank: 16

Birth rate: 38.8 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 10

Death rate: 11.4 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 20

Net migration rate: 0.2 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 72

Population distribution
Rank: population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 20.2% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 403,000 JUBA (capital) (2020)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife conservation and loss of biodiversity; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.23 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.35 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 69.9 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 76 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 63.5 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 4

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 55.5 years
Male: 54.6 years
Female: 56.5 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 222

Total fertility rate: 5.54 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 6

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 4% (2010)

Drinking water source
Urban: 14.8% of population
Rural: 28.3% of population
Total: 25.7% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 9.8% (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 45.9% of population
Rural: 89.3% of population
Total: 80.9% of population (2017 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 2.4% (2019 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 21
People living with hivaids: 190,000 (2019 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 34
Deaths: 9,100 (2019 est.)
Deaths rank: 20

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high (2020)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, Trypanosomiasis-Gambiense (African sleeping sickness)
Water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
Animal contact diseases: rabies
Respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 6.6% (2014)
Rank: 165

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 27.7% (2010)
Rank: 9

Education expenditures: 1.5% of GDP (2016)
Rank: 168

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 34.5%
Male: 40.3%
Female: 28.9% (2018)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of South Sudan
Conventional short form: South Sudan
Etymology: self-descriptive name from the countrys former position within Sudan prior to independence; the name Sudan derives from the Arabic bilad-as-sudan meaning Land of the Black [peoples]

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Juba
Geographic coordinates: 04 51 N, 31 37 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time): etymology: the name derives from Djouba, another name for the Bari people of South Sudan

Administrative divisions: 10 states; Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria; note - in 2015, the creation of 28 new states was announced and in 2017 four additional; following the February 2020 peace agreement, the country was reportedly again reorganized into the 10 original states, plus 2 administrative areas, Pibor and Ruweng, and 1 special administrative status area, Abyei; this latest administrative revision has not yet been vetted by the US Board on Geographic Names

Independence: 9 July 2011 (from Sudan)

National holiday: Independence Day, 9 July (2011)

Constitution
History: previous 2005 (preindependence); latest signed 7 July 2011, effective 9 July 2011 (Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011)
Amendments: proposed by the National Legislature or by the president of the republic; passage requires submission of the proposal to the Legislature at least one month prior to consideration, approval by at least two-thirds majority vote in both houses of the Legislature, and assent of the president; amended 2013, 2015, 2018

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of South Sudan
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011); First Vice President Riek MACHAR Teny Dhurgon (since 22 February 2020); Vice President James Wani IGGA (since 26 April 2016); Vice President TABAN Deng Gai (since 22 February 2020); Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng Chol GARANG de Mabior (since 22 February 2020); Vice President Hussein ABDELBAGI Ayii (since 22 February 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011); First Vice President Taban Deng GAI (since 26 July 2016); Vice President James Wani IGGA (since 26 April 2016); Vice President TABAN Deng Gai (since 22 February 2020); Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng Chol GARANG de Mabior (since 22 February 2020); Vice President Hussein ABDELBAGI Ayii (since 22 February 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: National Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Transitional National Legislative Assembly
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11-15 April 2010 (next election scheduled for 2015 postponed to 2018 and again to 2021)
Election results: Salva KIIR Mayardit elected president; percent of vote - Salva KIIR Mayardit (SPLM) 93%, Lam AKOL (SPLM-DC) 7%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of South Sudan (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices, 9 other justices and normally organized into panels of 3 justices, except when sitting as a Constitutional panel of all 9 justices chaired by the chief justice)
Judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president upon proposal of the Judicial Service Council, a 9-member judicial and administrative body; justice tenure set by the National Legislature
Subordinate courts: national level - Courts of Appeal; High Courts; County Courts; state level - High Courts; County Courts; customary courts; other specialized courts and tribunals

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Change or DC [Onyoti Adigo NYIKWEC] (formerly Sudan People's Liberation Movement-Democratic Movement or SPLM-DC)Sudan People's Liberation Movement or SPLM [Salva KIIR Mayardit]Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition or SPLM-IO [Riek MACHAR Teny Dhurgon]

International organization participation: AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Philip Jada NATANA (since 17 September 2018)
In the us chancery: 1015 31st Street NW, Third Floor, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 293-7,940
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 293-7,941
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas HUSHEK (since 5 June 2018)
From the us telephone: [211] 912-105-188
From the us embassy: Kololo Road adjacent to the EUs compound, Juba

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side contains a gold, five-pointed star; black represents the people of South Sudan, red the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, green the verdant land, and blue the waters of the Nile; the gold star represents the unity of the states making up South Sudan
Note: resembles the flag of Kenya; one of only two national flags to display six colors as part of its primary design, the other is South Africa's

National symbols: African fish eagle; national colors: red, green, blue, yellow, black, white

National anthem
Name: South Sudan Oyee! (Hooray!)
Lyricsmusic: collective of 49 poets/Juba University students and teachers
Note: adopted 2011; anthem selected in a national contest

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real:
Real note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 218

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
Rank: 199

Gross national saving:
Rank: 179

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 34.9% (2011 est.)
Government consumption: 17.1% (2011 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 10.4% (2011 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 64.9% (2011 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -27.2% (2011 est.)

Agriculture products: sorghum, maize, rice, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sugarcane, mangoes, papayas, bananas, sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, cotton, sesame seeds, cassava (manioc, tapioca), beans, peanuts; cattle, sheep

Population below poverty line: 66% (2015 est.)

Budget
Revenues: 259.6 million (FY2017/18 est.)
Expenditures: 298.6 million (FY2017/18 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -1.3% (of GDP) (FY2017/18 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 87

Taxes and other revenues: 8.5% (of GDP) (FY2017/18 est.)
Rank: 218

Public debt:
Rank: 69

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 226

Current account balance:
Rank: 94

Exports: $1.13 billion (2016 est.)
Rank: 155

Imports: $3.795 billion (2016 est.)
Rank: 146

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $73 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Rank: 184

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access population without electricity: 11 million (2019)
Access electrification total population: 28.2% (2018)
Access electrification urban areas: 46.8% (2018)
Access electrification rural areas: 23.6% (2018)
Production: 412.8 million kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 169
Consumption: 391.8 million kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 175
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 201
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 203
Installed generating capacity: 80,400 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 185
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 18
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 186
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 203
Generation sources other renewable sources: 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 168

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 150,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 39
Crude oil exports: 147,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 32
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 199
Crude oil proven reserves: 3.75 billion bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 26

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products production rank: 205
Products consumption: 8,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 165
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 205
Products imports: 7,160 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 157

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 199
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 200
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 188
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 191
Proven reserves: 63.71 billion m³ (1 January 2016 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 59

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 1.224 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 163

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 0 (2018 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 225
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 3,439,784
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33.46 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 136

Broadcast media: a single TV channel and a radio station are controlled by the government; several community and commercial FM stations are operational, mostly sponsored by outside aid donors; some foreign radio broadcasts are available (2019)

Internet
Country code: .ss
Users total: 814,326
Users percent of population: 7.98% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 143

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 200 (2018 est.)
Rank: 203

Military expenditures:
Rank: 19

Military and security forces: South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF): Ground Force, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Presidential Guard (2019)

Military service age and obligation: 18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service; the Government of South Sudan signed agreements in March 2012 and August 2015 that included the demobilization of all child soldiers within the armed forces and opposition, but the recruitment of child soldiers by the warring parties continues; as of the end of 2018, UNICEF estimated that more than 19,000 child soldiers had been used in the country's civil war since it began in December 2013 (2018)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 2
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0
Note: mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: Z8 (2016)

Airports: 89 (2020)
Rank: 63
With paved runways total: 4 (2020)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 84 (2020)
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 12
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 38
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 33

Heliports: 3 (2020)

Railways
Total: 248 km (2018)
Note: a narrow gauge, single-track railroad between Babonosa (Sudan) and Wau, the only existing rail system, was repaired in 2010 with $250 million in UN funds, but is not currently operational
Rank: 126

Roadways
Total: 90,200 km (2019)
Paved: 300 km (2019)
Unpaved: 89,900 km (2019)
Note: most of the road network is unpaved and much of it is in disrepair
Rank: 55

Waterways
Note: see entry for Sudan

Disputes international: South Sudan-Sudan boundary represents 1 January 1956 alignment, final alignment pending negotiations and demarcation; final sovereignty status of Abyei Area pending negotiations between South Sudan and Sudan; periodic violent skirmishes with South Sudanese residents over water and grazing rights persist among related pastoral populations along the border with the Central African Republic; the boundary that separates Kenya and South Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the 'Ilemi Triangle,' which Kenya has administered since colonial times

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 729,530 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 16,176 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2020)
IDPs: 1.66 million (alleged coup attempt and ethnic conflict beginning in December 2013; information is lacking on those displaced in earlier years by: fighting in Abyei between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) in May 2011; clashes between the SPLA and dissident militia groups in South Sudan; inter-ethnic conflicts over resources and cattle; attacks from the Lords Resistance Army; floods and drought) (2020)